The Psychology Behind Bingeworthy Episode Titles
Episode 278 | Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast | Courtney Elmer
Why Some Episode Titles Get Ignored
There are five key elements that make listeners stop scrolling and pay attention to your podcast. One of the biggest ones standing between you and a listener hitting play? Your episode titles.
But what makes a good episode title? Why do some titles make listeners drop everything and hit play, while others get ignored? In this episode, we’re diving deep into what makes your episode titles binge-worthy and [spoiler alert] why using AI for your podcast episode titles might be causing listeners to overlook your show. Because Your episode titles are one of the last things standing between a potential new listener and your episode content. In other words? it won’t matter how great your content is inside your episodes if you don’t know how to get listeners to hit play.
The key is knowing how to craft titles that stop people in their tracks. This is where bingeworthy messaging comes in — creating titles that make listeners *want* to click play. So if you're ready to learn what makes an episode title impossible to ignore and how to craft episode titles that get the click so you can convert more cold traffic into loyal listeners, let’s get into it.
Common Episode Title Mistakes You Might Be Making
Chances are, you’re making some of the most common episode title mistakes without even realizing it — and these small missteps can be the difference between someone scrolling right past your show or hitting play.
I see these mistakes all the time, and they’re easy to make, especially when you’re focused on getting great content out there. But the good news is, once you know what to look for, you can easily tweak your titles to make them impossible to ignore.
Here are some of the biggest mistakes podcasters make when it comes to creating episode titles:
- Being Too Vague: Titles like “[Unlock Your Potential]” or “[Create a Life You Love]” don’t tell the listener anything specific. If people can’t tell exactly what they’re going to learn or gain from the episode, they’re not going to give you their time.
- Being Too Click-Baity: We’ve all seen those titles that overpromise and underdeliver. Ever listen to an episode where the host spends 20 minutes talking about something totally unrelated to what the title promised? You clicked in, thinking you’d get some amazing insight, but half an hour later, you’re still waiting for them to get to the point. If your episode doesn’t follow through on the promise of the title, you’re going to lose trust — fast. Clickbait might get someone to click once, but if your episode content doesn’t deliver on what you’re promising in the title, they’re not coming back.
- Using AI-Generated Titles Without Tweaking Them: AI tools like ChatGPT and other podcasting AI can give you a starting point, but if you’re using AI-generated titles as is, they will make you blend in, not stand out. AI is designed to draw from what's already out there, resulting in unoriginal titles with hard-to-read formatting and vague language that lacks the nuance and understanding of your unique expertise. AI-generated titles can sound okay, but if you want to be seen as the go-to thought leader in your niche, "okay" doesn’t cut it. You want listeners to stop and say, "This is exactly what I need right now."
- Forgetting to Incorporate Keywords: Your titles are one of the most searchable parts of your podcast. If you’re not including relevant keywords, you’re missing out on getting discovered by potential listeners who are searching for exactly what you’re offering.
The good news? These mistakes are easy to fix. With a few tweaks, you can turn vague or uninspiring titles into ones that grab your audience’s attention and make them want to listen.
The 5 Content Gatekeepers™ That Decide If Listeners Hit Play or Scroll Past
To grow your podcast, you need to understand the 5 Content Gatekeepers™ — those critical decision points every listener crosses before they hit play. And one of the biggest gatekeepers? Your episode titles.
Picture this: someone stumbles upon your show while scrolling through their podcast app. They’re glancing at your artwork, skimming your description, and reading your titles, trying to decide if you’re worth their time.
You want to make it as easy as possible for your listeners to understand the specific value they're going to get out of that episode, because your episode title is often the last chance you have to convince someone your show is exactly what they need.
If your titles are vague, sound like everyone else’s, or fail to stand out, you’ll stay stuck in 200-download per episode jail. (Just kidding. There is no “jail.” But it can sure feel that way when your show isn’t gaining traction as quickly as you hoped). And no one wants that. The goal is to make your titles so compelling that someone stops mid-scroll, thinks, “Wait, I need to hear this,” and hits play.
How to Make Your Episode Titles Hyper-Relevant and Get the Click
So, what should you do instead? You need to create binge-worthy episode titles that speak directly to the problem or pain you're solving for your listener — or at the very least, titles that are problem and pain aware. This is important because you have to meet your listener where they’re at.
And before you say, "Well, my podcast doesn’t really solve a problem," let’s get one thing straight: every podcast solves a problem. Maybe it’s not a big, obvious problem like struggling to hit six figures or sleep-training a toddler. It could be as simple as offering an entertaining escape from an otherwise stressful day, or helping listeners feel understood.
Even if you think your show isn’t about solving a problem, your episode titles need to speak to the unmet desires of your listeners. In other words, what are they hoping to get out of tuning in? That’s what your titles need to reflect.
If your episode titles aren’t hyper-relevant to your listener, they’ll move on — and all that amazing content you worked so hard on will never get heard.
A Few More Important Do’s And Don’ts:
- Make your episode titles EASY TO READ (I’m looking at you, colon). Don’t make your listeners work to figure out what the episode is about. They won’t.
- Don’t clutter them with episode numbers that aren’t necessary and eat up valuable character space (platforms like Apple Podcasts automatically number your episodes for you).
- Keep them under 60 characters so they don’t get cut off (or “truncated”) on different listening platforms.
- Put your guest name at the END of your episode title, not the beginning, so listeners can understand at a glance what value they’ll get from this episode.
Ready to see this in action? Let’s look at some examples:
How to Take Your Episode Titles from Boring to Bingeworthy
There are several psychological principles at play when a listener is scrolling through your podcast content. Your episode titles need to trigger an unconscious reaction that grabs their attention, sparks curiosity, or speaks directly to an unmet desire. These triggers happen in an instant — and always unconsciously. While there are many principles that go into crafting binge-worthy titles, here are a few key examples that can help you make your titles impossible to ignore and turn casual scrollers into loyal listeners.
Oh and by the way, every single one of these examples comes from The Bingeworthy Episode Title Cheat Sheet — it’s got over 103 plug-and-play episode title templates with ALL of these psychological principles baked in, so you don’t have to overthink it. Just use the frameworks I give you, plug in your niche topics, and watch your downloads grow.
Example 1:
- Instead of Vague Promises Like:
“[Unlock Your Gifts] to [Create a Business You Love]” - Teach Something That’s Actually Useful:
“How to [Use Your Enneagram] to [Attract High-Paying Clients]”
Example 2:
- Instead of Framing It From Your Perspective:
“Why [I Don’t Follow Trends]” - Make It About Your Listener:
“Why [Following Online Trends] Is [Making Your Content Blend In]”
Example 3:
- Instead of Telling Them the Answer Outright:
“Why [Niche Podcasts Grow Faster]” - Create Real Curiosity With an Open-Ended Question:
“Do [Niche Podcasts Grow Faster]?”
Example 4:
- Instead of Defaulting to "How to":
“How to [Get Your Podcast on the Top Charts]” - Turn It Into a List:
“5 Ways to [Get Your Podcast on the Top Charts]”
Example 5:
- Instead of Focusing Only on the Solution:
“How to [Make Your Business Stand Out on Instagram]” - Focus on the Real Problem You’re Helping Them Solve:
“3 Reasons Your [Instagram Reels] Are [Getting Overlooked]”
BONUS:
- Instead of Focusing Only on the Pain or Problem:
“Why [Your Podcast] Isn’t [Converting]” - Speak to Their Unmet Desires:
“The Proven [Formula/Strategy] to [Convert More Listeners to Clients]”
The difference between episode titles that get ignored and those that drive clicks is often subtle, but deeply psychologically powerful. By focusing on your listener, speaking directly to their challenges, and creating genuine curiosity, you'll make your titles impossible to ignore. And when you nail these? You’ll turn your podcast into something listeners can’t help but rave about.
Oh and by the way, if you want more free advice on starting your podcast, growing your podcast, or turning more of your listeners into clients (all of the above, maybe!?) make sure you’re following Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new episode.
Or if you’re an established coach or consultant who’s ready to launch or scale your podcast and want our proven strategy to reach more new listeners and turn those listeners into leads and clients, book a free strategy call with our team to find out if you’re a fit for PodLaunch® — we’re here to help.
Up Next:
In the next episode, we’re answering the hotly-debated topic of should you script your podcast episodes, or is it better to outline? It’s a valid question, and the answer ultimately depends on what’s more important to you: converting your listeners to leads and clients, or simply sounding polished and professional.
We’ll unpack the pros and cons of scripting vs. outlining so you can decide which approach is better — not just for you, but for your listeners. We’ll also look at why building real influence as a podcast host has less to do with your script or outline, and everything to do with how you deliver it.
So if you want to create deeper connections that lead to raving fans who can't help but share your podcast, don’t miss the next episode.